Propelling device.



J. J. MONROE.

PBOPELLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED r1111. 25, 191

1,01 1 ,474. Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

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w law/"M JOHN J. MONROE, OF SCHUYLERVILLE, NEW YORK.

PROPELLING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial no. 610,816.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, JOHN J. MONROE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schuylerville, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelling Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompa emerge from the water in a vertical position thereby reducing the resistance of the water to the movement of the paddles.

A further object of my invention resides in the provision of a paddle wheel consisting of spaced heads rigidly mounted upon the propeller shaft, a plurality of paddle wheels journaled in bearings arranged upon the peripheries of said heads, and means common to all of the paddles to maintain the same in a vertical plane with relation to the axis of the wheel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a paddle wheel of comparatively simple construction, of great efi'iciency and durability in practical use and which may be constructed at comparatively low cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a paddle wheel embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the paddles; and Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Referring in detail to the drawing 5 designates the parallel longitudinal bars of a supporting frame upon which the ends of the wheel shaft 6 are journaled in suitable bearings 7. v

The paddle wheel proper consists of a hub sleeve 8 and the circular heads 9 which are rigidly fixed by means of a plurality of screws or other suitable fastening devices 10 to the opposite ends of the hub sleeve. The

:nions in the openings thereof.

spaced parallel paddle shafts 11 are rotatably mounted in the bearings 12 arranged upon the peripheries of the heads 9. Each of the shafts 11 has arrangedthereona paddle 13, said paddles having integrally formed upon one of their longitudinal edges at each end a sleeve 11 which is frictionally engaged upon the shaft 11 so that the paddles 13 turn with said shafts. The extremities of the paddle shafts 11 extend beyond the bearings 12 and are fixed in the lower ends of the links 15, the other ends of which are provided with trunnions 16 which are loosely mountedin the openings 18 provided in the annular members 19, whereby said annular members are supported in eccentricrelation to the wheel shaft 6 as shown in Fig.

1. The ends of the trunnions 16 are provided with the retaining plates or washers 20 which engage with the outer faces of'the annular members 19 and retain the trun- Suitable anti-friction rollers 21 are also mounted upon the transverse shafts 22 which are rigidly fixed upon the supporting bars 23. These wheels bear upon theperipheries of the annular members 19 and retain'the same in proper position with relation to the shaft 6, and thereby maintain the links 15 at all times in a vertical position. It is to be understood that a suitable housing (not shown) will be provided as in the usual construction of such devices to alford a protection for the paddles.

' My improved propelling device is arranged upon the wheel shaft as previously described, one of said devices being disposed upon each end of the shaft on opposite sides of the body of the vessel. The shaft 6 is driven from a suitable engine mounted in the hull of the vessel, whereby the wheel heads 9 which are fixed upon said shaft are revolved to successively immerse the paddles 13 in the water. The width of these paddles is substantially one-third of the diameter of the heads 9, and in the application of the wheel, the same is positioned so that the wheel heads are disposed beneath the surface of the water to this depth. It will be obvious that as the wheel is rotated, the paddles 13 will always maintain their vertical positions with relation to the axis of the wheel by the link connections between the paddle shafts and the annular members 19, the trunnions of said links turning in the annular members as the wheel is moved. This vertical disposition of the paddles is of material advantage in maintaining the speed of the vessel, as they ofier little or no resistance to the same owing to their edge wise movement upon entering or leaving the water.

In the usual construction of paddle Wheels, the paddles enter the water at an angle to the surface thereof so that the sides of the paddles must displace a considerable body of water owing to their great area. In their upward movement when emerging from the water, the progress of the vessel is also retarded in the same manner. By means of my device, such retardation of the speed of the vessel is entirely eliminated. The device is also very positive in its operation and highly durable and efficient in practical use. It will of course be understood that the paddles may be of other forms and constructed of any desired material as well as the other elements of the wheel.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and operation of the device will be obvious.

The wheel is particularly adapted for the propulsion of large steamers or other vessels requiring a cheap and eflicient means of propulsion.

It will be understood that the invention may be greatly modified in the form, construction and arrangement of parts in order to adapt the same to the particular Vessel to which it is to be applied, without departing from the essential feature or sacrificing any of the advantages embodied in the invention.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is The combination with a frame including parallel side bars and vertical uprights at the ends of each of said side bars, longitudinal bars connecting said uprights adjacent their upper ends; of a drive shaft transversely mounted in the side bars of the frame, spaced heads rigidly fixed upon said shaft, a plurality of parallel shafts rotatably mounted in bearings upon the peripheries of said heads, the ends of said shafts projecting beyond the outer faces of the heads, a paddle on each of said shafts, said paddle having a sleeve formed on one of its longitudinal edges at each end thereof rigidly engaged upon the shaft, an annular member arranged adjacent to each of the heads and eccentrically disposed with relation to the drive shaft, links connecting the projecting ends of the shafts on said heads with said members, said links being rigidly fixed on said shafts at one of their ends and having transversely disposed pivot studs formed on their other ends rotatably engaged in said annular members, and flanged supporting rollers mounted in bearings upon the longitudinal bars connecting the frame uprights, said rollers engaging upon the peripheries of the annular members at diametrically opposite points.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. MONROE.

Vitnesses:

PATRICK F. CISE, C. J. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

